“Why didn’t Christ return on Oct. 21? It seems embarrassing for Family Radio,” Camping said, sounding feeble and shaky. “But God was in charge of everything. We came to that conclusion after quite careful study of the Bible. He allowed everything to happen the way it did without correction. He could have stopped everything if He had wanted to.”

Camping’s Family Radio organization widely advertised that the rapture would happen May 21. When the day came and went without incident — unless you count a worldwide media storm as an incident — he revised his prediction. Camping explained a spiritual rapture occurred in May, but Armageddon would happen on Oct. 21.

“Incidentally, I have been told that I said back in May that people who did not believe that May 21 should not be the rapture date, probably had not been saved,” Camping said. “I should not have said that, and I apologize for that. One thing we know for certain, is that God is merciful, merciful beyond anything that we would ever expect.”

He added: “God will not abandon us, he will provide, but we have to be just very careful that we don’t dictate to him when that has to happen.”